Closure means



y 1965 H. K. BROSS 3,181,741

CLOSURE MEANS Filed Sept. 5, 1962 INVENTOI? HEL MU 7 KARL BROSS Tu-J TT A TTORNEV 3,181,741 CLOSURE MEANS Hehnut Karl Brass, Altenberg uher Nurnberg, Germany, assignor of fifty percent to Frank T. .Iohmann, Berkeley Heights, NJ.

Filed Sept. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 221,507 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-517) cated structure which is expensive to manufacture and assemble.

On the other hand, there are more simple known pourout closure means wherein a portion of the'container is cut olf upon initially opening the container, said cutoif portion later serving as a plug to seal the pouring opening of the container. However, the plug, since it is a separate piece, may become lost or soiled if laid down'when pouring from the container. generally required to insert or pull out the plug from the container.

The present invention can overcome the disadvantages of the prior art devices noted above. The closure means, or dispenser, of the invention can be simply and economically made, it can be operated with one hand, for example, the opening of the container can be effected simultaneously with grasping the container. All parts of the closure means of the invention are held together so that they do not become separated during use. In many cases, the closure means of the invention can be made of plastic as a single integral molding. In fact, the closure means of the invention can be molded integrally with a plastic container as a single molded piece. Furthermore, the present invention permits a larger cross-sectional area at the pour-out point than many other related devices. This, in turn, permits more rapid pouring from the container. The preceding and other advantages and aspects of the invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings and following description, which includes a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a con tainer having a closure means of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1. v j p FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side view of a modification of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side view of another modification of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of a container with a closure means similar to that of FIGURES 1 and 2, but with a modified actuating lever.

FIG. 6 is a side view, partly in section, of a closure means having two oppositely disposed actuating levers.

Furthermore, both hands are" 3,181,741 Fatented May 4, 1965 ICC Reference is now made to the embodiment of FIG- URES 1 and 2.' Here, the tubular container 10 defines at its upper end an annular bead 11, which tightly fits within a complementary annular groove 12 defined by the outer periphery of the lower portion of the slightly resilient plastic closure means or dispenser indicated generally at 13. An annular flange 14, limits the downward movement of closure means 13 when said closure means is permanently inserted within the container opening defined by flange 11 during the sealing operation after the container is filled at the factory. The. resilient tubular discharge portion 15, is'closed by the lid or top wall 16. Molded integrally with the tubular body 15, is the handle or actuating lever 17, having a channel-shaped cross-section for rigidity, the pouring spout 18 having a trough like crosssection, and the flange portions 19 and 20. An incision in the front of body 15, dividing jaw portions 22 and 23, is made along the line indicated at 21 to thereby form the closure portions. This incision defines the closure portion and discharge opening and is made when the closure means 13 is ready for use by the consumer by merely cutting the soft plastic (e.g. polypropylene) with a knife. The parallel transversely extending discharge spout 18 and flange 24) act as guides for said knife. to thereby define the cutting plane, while the thicker flange portion 19 acts as a stop to limit the extent of cutting by the knife to thereby prevent inadvertently cutting entirely through the tubular body portion 15, To operate, i.e. to pour, after making the aforesaid incision, the container 10 is grasped in the hand and the outer rearward portion of the actuating lever 17 is pressed downward, e.g. with a forefinger, towards the container 10 in the direction of the arrow X. This downward movement of lever 17 will pivot the integrally connected upper jaw portion 22 about point 24 r to raise said jaw portion 22 away from the lower jaw portion 23 and thereby open the closure portion i.e. widen the incision made along line 21. The containers liquid contents 29 can now be poured through said widened incision onto the spout 18 upon tipping the container 1t) forward. Upon release of downwardly directed pressure on lever 17, the natural elasticity of the plastic used to form the closure means 13, will cause jaw portion 22 to pivot downwardly about point 24, so that jaw portions 22 and 23 are in abutment, thereby closing the inci- 'sion. The closure meansis thereby self-closing and is thus again in its closed position.

FIGURE 3 represents a minor modification of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, wherein the flange 20 extends considerably past the tubular main bodyy 15, and the bosses 25 project outwardly from both sides of flange 20 and from both sides of flange 18. In other words, there are a total of four bosses 25, although only two are illustrated in the drawing, Rubber bands 26, undertonsion, are looped around each pair of adjacent bosses 25 to thereby act as springs to hold the incision 21' tightly closed. This arrangement holds the adjacent edges of FIGURE 7 is a top view of the device of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a one-piece container and closure means.

FIGURE 9 is a side view, partly in section, of a closure means of the invention incorporated in a screw cap for jaw portions 22' and 23' along said incision 21' very closely together. The rubber bands 26 elongate upon depression of the lever 17' to widen the incision 21' 'for pouring. The rubber bands26 are preferably sufliciently spaced from tubular body portion 15' to allow a common knife to pass between said rubber bands 26 and body por tion 15' in making incision 21'.

FIGURE 4- represents another minor modification Where pairs of resilientsnaps 2 7 and fixed to rne mbers 20 and 18" respectively, hold incision 21" tightly closed. Each pair of adjacent snaps 27 and 28 disengage when the lever17" is depressed to permit incision21" to widen for pouring. After pouring, members 20" and 18" may be manually pressed towards each other so that adjacent snaps 27 and 28 override each other to assume the latched position of FIGURE 4.

enemas FIGURE 5 represents an embodiment similar to that of FIGURES 1 and 2, except that the actuating lever 17 is bent sons to be parallel to a wall of container By this arrangement, a hand can grasp around said lever 17 and the container 10". In this Way, the lever 17 can be depressed when picking up the container 10' so as to automatically open an incision made along line 21 for pouring.

FIGURES 6 and 7 represent a modification wherein two rearwardly extending actuating levers, or handles, 38 are integral with opposite sides of the elastic tubular discharge member 31. The incission 32, the spaced parallel flanges, that is spout 33 and guide 34, all extend vertically when the container 35 is in an upright position. An elastic ring 36, seated in the annular recess 37, urges the divided jaw portions 33 and 39 together in tight abutting relationship so as to seal the incision 32. In use, the hand is wrapped around the container 35 and both actuating levers 30, so as to press said levers together to thereby open the jaw portions 38 and 39 and expand ring 36, thereby widening incision 32 for pouring from container 35, The entire assembly is then tilted on its side and the fluid contents of the container 35 can be poured out. By

. adjusting the pressure exerted on levers 30, the size of the opening can be controlled to thereby control the flow of fluid from the container 35. Upon release of pressure on the levers 30, the portions 38 and 39 automatically close, aided by the contraction of the rubber ring 36.

FIGURE 8 represents a one-piece integral plastic molding which can be manufactured by a combination of injection and blow molding. To open the sealed container, an incision is made in the front end of the container along line 43 between spout 40 and guide 41. Then depression of the rearwardly extending handles 42 toward each other will automatically open the incision for pouring. Release of pressure on said handles, will automatically close the container. The operation of this embodiment is therefore similar to the operation of the embodiment of FIG- URES 6 and 7.

The embodiment of FIGURES 9 to 11 includes an in ternally threaded screw cap 44, having the tubular discharge spout 45, to which is fixed the actuating levers 46. Frictionally engaged within the annular recess 47, is the rigid disk member 48 formed with perforations 49. ,Extending upwardly from the center of said disk, is the rigid cylindrical stem 50 whose outer end 51 extends through, in a tight fit, the normally round opening 52 in the tubular spout 45. The spout is slightly elastic around the opening 52. Upon forcing the rigid actuating handles 46 inwardly toward each other, opposite sides of the relatively thin wall upper portion of the tubular spout 45 are pulled away from each other, as the resilient plastic stretches, as illustrated in FIGURE 11, to thereby leave the discharge openings 53 for the pouring of fluid. Upon release of pressure on the levers 46, the resilent plastic returns to its normal position wherein the upper end of the spout 45 tightly encircles the rigid stem to thereby seal the closure means.

In use, the closure means of FIGURES 9 to 11 is screwed onto a threaded container, e.g. a jar. When the levers 46 are pressed inwardly toward each other to form discharge openings 53, the fluid contents of said jar can be readily poured through said discharge openings 53. Upon release of pressure on said levers 46, the closure means is in a tightly sealed position.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for a container comprising a resilient tubular portion having a closed end; spaced parallel flanges extending outwardly from sides of said tubular portion to define a plane of incision and to serve as guides for a knife in making an incision in said plane partly through said tubular portion to thereby form in the front of said tubular portion a closure portion including a first jaw and a second jaw; limiting flanges extending outwardly from said tubular portion proximate said parallel flanges to limit the travel of said knife in making said incision; and a handle integral withsaid first jaw and extending rearwardly whereby said handle opens said closure portion upon application of force to the rearward portion of said handle, said closure portion being self-closing upon release of said force.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said tubular portion is integral with a container.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2, including a second handle integral with said second jaw and also extending rearwardly, said first and second handles being positioned on opposite sides of said plane of incission for simutaneously grasping with a hand.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispenser is a single integrally molded piece and one of said spaced parallel flanges is a spout.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein latching means are carried by said spaced parallel flanges whereby said closure portion can be locked closed.

6. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein 'an elastic band is carried by said spaced parallel flanges urging said closure portion closed.

7. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein an elastic band encircles said jaws urging said closure portion closed.

8. A container including a sealed dispenser, comprising a resilient tubular member having upper and lower ends, a lid closing the upper end of said tubular member, an annular flange extending outwardly from said tubular member proximate said lower end, an annular groove defined in the outer periphery of said tubular member between said flange and said lower end, said container having an upper end formed with an annular bead defining an annular opening, said annular bead seating within said annular groove and said flange seating atop said upper end of said container whereby the interior of said tubular member is in communication with the interior of said container, a spout, a guide parallel to said spout, said spout and guide being above said annular flanges and integral with said tubular member and extending transversely from the front of said tubular member to a point partly across said tubular member to thereby define a plane of incision, a pair of oppositely disposed stops integral with said tubular member and each extending between said spout and guide to prevent a knife from cutting completely through said tubular member when making an incision with said knife, and a handle having its front end attached to said tubular member and extending rearwardly, whereby when an incision is made in said plane that the upper portion of said tubular member adjacent said incision will be moved upwardly relative to the lower portion of said tubular member adjacent said incision upon the application of pressure to depress said handle and open said incision, said tubular member being of. a tough resilient material so as to automatically close said incision upon release of said pressure and to return said handle to its original position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,033,689 7/12 Fuchs 222-556 X 1,333,297 3/20 Eulberg 222-541 1,650,966 11/27 Smith 222-490 1,992,067 2/35 Gunn 222-490 2,169,501 8/39 Salvesen 222-490 X 2,889,966 6/59 Burt 222-556 X 2,907,489 10/59 Taylor 222-541 X FOREIGN PATENTS 331,168 7/58 Switzerland.

800,707 9/58 Great Britain.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. A DISPENSER FOR A CONTAINER COMPRISING A RESILIENT TUBULAR PORTION HAVING A CLOSED END: SPACED PARALLEL FLANGES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SIDES OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION TO DEFINE A PLATE OF INCISION AND TO SERVE AS GUIDES FOR A KNIFE IN MAKING AN INCISION IN SAID PLANE PARTLY THROUGH SAID TUBULAR PORTION TO THEREBY FORM IN THE FRONT OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION A CLOSURE PORTION INCLUDING A FIRST JAW AND A SECOND JAW; LIMITING FLANGES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID TUBULAR PORTION PROXIMATE SAID PARALLEL FLANGES TO LIMIT THE TRAVEL OF SAID KNIFE IN MAKING SAID INCISION; AND A HANDLE INTEGRAL WITH SAID FIRST JAW AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY WHEREBY SAID HANDLE OPENS SAID CLOSURE PORTION UPON APPLICATION OF FORCE TO THE REARWARD PORTION OF SAID HANDLE, SAID CLOSURE PORTION BEING SELF-CLOSING UPON REID LEASE OF SAID FORCE. 